Today’s world is an “instant”, “cellular” and “virtual” world. First came instant coffee, obviating the need to prepare decoction. A spoonful of instant powder, added to milk with sugar gives coffee in an instant. That the true coffee connoisseurs vouch for the original filter coffee is another matter. No need to boil water and groggily wait for the decoction to filter down.

Then came a plethora of instant mixes, masalas and powders. Uppuma, kesaribath, and even dosa is ready. Just dip into hot water or heat in the microwave, cut open and eat. That reminds me, now that this is the time of the Sankranti festival; all the ingredients for the traditional yellu of Karnataka are available for sale. Just buy, mix together and it  is ready. Where is the time to cut copra and jaggery into small pieces, roast groundnuts, skin them, split into two and remove the small bitter ends?

Then there is instant dosa and idli batter available. Forget about soaking rice and dal in water overnight, grinding it, clean the messy grinder and still have problems with the fermentation. In summer it over ferments and sours quickly while in winter it under ferments. Just buy instant batter or better still get it ground in front of you in a few minutes. 

“Stay connected” is today’s mantra. Want to talk anywhere anytime? Just buy a handset, get a connection and “simply maathadi”. “Cellulitis” seems to have affected everyone, with the telecom department desperately trying to stay afloat by offering schemes and discounts to retain customers.

Sweet nothings can be exchanged without fear of prying parental glares. Wide open ears are deprived of juicy tidbits as conversations are “out of coverage area”.

And now it’s virtually a “virtual” world. One can get married “virtually”, “virtually” attend a marriage or attend a “virtual” marriage. Never mind about virtues. Many famous temples like the Kashi Vishwanath Temple and the Shirdi Sai Sansthan offer “on line” darshan, seva and offerings. God is just a click away. Surgeries are beamed to other continents in real time. Recently a church in Chennai conducted a “virtual funeral” for relatives of the deceased person who were abroad.

What next?